Electric connecter



May 31, 1938. D. WOODHEAD ELECTRIC CONNECTER Filed Oct. 15-, 1934 mm 5 7 G Patented May 31, 1938 UNITE STATES PATENT caries 9 Claims.

This invention relates to electric connecters, and particularly to electric sockets.

This application is a continuation in part of application Serial No. 601,462, filed March 28, 1932.

Soft rubber sockets and other electrical con' necters are desirable because of their insulating capabilities, and are furthermore desirable inasmuch as they are practically unbreakable, being capable of sustaining hard usage without breakage or wear. It has been a problem of the past to provide some means for making a waterproof connection between the flexible rubber casing and the light globe. Various attempts to accomplish this desirable result have failed. It has often been proposed to afiix thin separate soft rubber sleeves to the inside of the casing in some manner so that these lips would engage the light globe. After a period of time, however, the heat from the light globe will cause the thin soft rubber to vulcanize or become set to the shape of the lamp globe and no longer tightly hug the lamp globe, thereby damaging any water-proof capabilities the casing formerly had. The present invention overcomes these disadvantages and attains all the advantages .of a soft rubber casing, its primary object being the provision of a new and soft rubber socket for lamp connections in which there is arranged a means for engaging the lamp globe with a waterproof type of joint, at the same time providing means in cooperation therewith to maintain the effective water-proof seal, despite the vulcanizing action of the heat in the lamp globe when the same is turned on, thereby preventing water and moisture from getting into the interior of the casing to the electrical connections.

A further object of the invention is' to provide 0 a soft rubber socket casing which has a metal shell imbedded therein for threadedly receiving an electric lamp globe, and which has means integrally connected therewith or formed therein, whereby a flexible gasket element may engage a part of the lamp globe when the same is screwed into the shell, making a water-tight connection between the casing and the lamp to prevent water from entering the casing and getting to the electric connections.

A still further object is to provide a soft flexible rubber casing which has a ring formed or' imbedded therein near its outer or open-end to prevent the casing from spreading by heat radi-' Numerous other objects and advantages will be apparent throughout the progress of the following specification.

The accompanying drawing illustrates a selected embodiment of the invention and the views therein are as follows:

Fig. 1 is a detail sectional view of the improved socket and embodying the invention.

Fig. 2 is a detail sectional View similar to Fig. 1,

showing a lamp globe operatively arranged there- T0 Fig. 3 is a detail bottom plan View of the casing looking in the direction of the arrows 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a detail sectional view showing the 15: rubber washer or gasket operatively engaging a light globe. I

Fig. 5 is a detail perspective view of the grooved metal member.

Fig. 6 is a detail perspective view of the rubber washer or gasket which is received in the metal member shown in Fig. 5.

Fig. '7 is a detail sectional view of a modified form of socket.

Figure 8 is a partial cross-sectional view of an- 8 other preferred embodiment of the present invention.

Figure 9 is a partial cross-sectional view of the embodiment shown in Figure 8, showing that embodiment in operative engagement with thesis? light bulb.

The connecter herein shown comprises a body or casing I which is preferably made of soft flexible resilient material such as rubber, having conductors 8 and 9 imbedded therein. Up- 5 standing protuberances H) are formed on the casing l and engage the conductors for forming a water and moisture proof joint or connection between the casing and the conductors. The body or casing I is provided with a recess or 0* chamber ll into which a shell i2 having threads I3 is operatively arranged. The shell I2 is preferably imbedded in the casing during its manufacture, and makes electrical contact with the conductors 8 and 9 in the usual conventional manner.

One preferred form of the invention is shown in Fig. 2. An annular grooved metal ring [4 is arranged at the lower end of the casing l and below the lower end E5 of the shell 12. This 5b? annular member '14 is preferably molded in position during the construction of the casing, being arranged in the mold and having the rubber molded thereabout. The ring [4 has an annular groove l6 formed therein, which groove is greater than a semi-circle in cross section so as to receive and retain the annular flexible washer or gasket H. The washer or gasket I! may be made of any kind of flexible material desired, but in actual practice it has been found that a continuous to fit or snap in position in the annular groove provided in the metal retaining ring M. The metal retaining ring l4 prevents the washer I! from spreading when a lamp I8 is screwed into the socket, and thereby causes a pressure to be exerted against the rubber member [1, forming a tight seal against the lamp I8 as indicated at H) in Fig. 4. V

A soft rubber casing is desirable in that it stands they wear and abuse, while the metal member imbedded therein prevents the rubber from expanding at the lower end of the casing. The metal member is grooved in such a manner as to receive and retain an annular rubber washer. The annular rubber washerfits or snaps into place in the groove and is held therein by the natural expansible characteristics of the rubber washer. This washer projects inwardly from the inner peripheral edge 20 of the casingand is engaged by a lamp which causes the washer to be may be accomplished by forming the rubber cassqueezed tightly between the metal ring l6 and theiouter periphery of the lamp globe, making a tight water-proof connection between the lamp and thecasing, thereby making the device moisture-proof and water-proof, preventing rain and moisture from working up into the electrical connections and causing a short-circuit.

The invention may be made without the employment of the metal retaining ring M. This ing 1 with sufiicient length 42 below the operative end of the shell l2 to engage aportion of the lamp globe 43 below the threaded male end thereof. In such case, it isdesirable to relieve a portion 44 of the rubber casing on the inside of the opening, so that there is a space 45 between the casing and the lamp in the zone where the metal retaining ring l4 liesin the previously described embodiment. The lower end 31 shown in Fig. 4 of the rubber casing would then be extended inwardly, so that the rubber opening at the lower end of the casing is substantially smaller than the lamp globeJ When the lamp globe is inserted therein, this inwardly curving section of the casing will engage the lamp globe and make a water-tight and moisture-proof joint therewith. Ordinarily, the heat from the lamp globe would vulcanize and render ineffective such a resilient contact. However, in the present invention, sufiicient rubber is embodiedin this area of the device so that its springiness is not lost through heat, but only theportion right at the juncture of the casing with the globe will be aifected by heat, the balance being capable of maintaining the resilient contact.

The invention not only makes a tight connection between the lamp and the socket, but also prevents the lamp from backing out of the socket,

.should the same ever be jarred or shaken.

Of course, it is to be understood that in the first described embodiment, the grooved metal ring .14 need not be formed or imbedded into the rubber casing during its construction, although at the present time thislatter method is deemed preferable. Another way of making the assembly is by providing an annular grove 2|, Fig. 4, in the casing and then 'imbedding the metal ring M in position in the casing. As the casing is made of soft flexible material and stretchable within reasonable limits, the metal ring I4 can be easily placed in the groove 2| and held in position therein due to the normal resilient characteristics of the rubber casing After the ring I4 is arranged in position in the socket groove 2|, the washer I! may be inserted in position in'the same manner as previously described, producing the same result inasmuchas all pressure is limited between the lamp and the ring, whereby the employment of the washer will not act to loosen the ring from its groove 2| in the casing.

In the modification shown in Fig. 7, the threaded shell l2 is provided with a lower extension 3|] formed with an expanded annular ring 3| providing an inner groove 32. .The inner groove 32 is adapted to receive the rubber washer or gasket Thus, when the light globe is screwed in position in the socket, the globe will squeeze the rubber, as indicated in Fig. 4, making a water-tight connection between the globe and the casing to. prevent water and moisture from getting inside the casing to the electrical connections. .The construction disclosed in Fig. '7 may be preferable'to the other types. previously described in that the entiresocket, including the metal shell member 3|, may be formedin; onepiece, the shell being set in the mold and the soft rubber casing 'l molded thereabout. This construction has all the advantages of the construction previously described whether it be the ring l4 imbedded in the rubber casing or an independent ring receivable in the groove 2|, as a non-expansible metal ring is provided. The ring 3| is preferably made greater than a semicircle in cross section so as to hold the gasket securely in position. However, the ring need not be greater than a semi-circle in cross section as the natural expansible characteristics of the rubber will cause the gasket to seat itself in the groove. i

It is to be noted, however, that whether a relieved contacting lip structure is used or the washer and retaining ring structure is used, the contacting edge of either the lip or the. rubber washer must be substantially inward of the side wall of the brass shell' in the casing. This is shown in Fig. 4. The line parallelwith the edge of the casing is shown at 39. The line of the contacting edge of the rubber washer or relieved.

lip structure, Whichever may be employed, is shown at 4|. It will be seen that the line 4| lies substantially inside of the line 39. Thisrneans that the inner diameter of the rubber washer or the inner diameter of the bottom opening of the rubber casing, if the relieved lip structure be used.

is of substantially smaller dimension thanthe into the sockets During the screwing operation.

'offthe lamp into the socket, the rubber gasket is impinged and distorted to conform withthe peripheral contour of the lamp causing this washer to be impinged between the lamp and the ring, positively making a water-tight connection. When the washer becomes disintegrated by the heat of the lamp, another one may be instantly inserted in position without much trouble and at an exceedingly low cost.

Changes may be made in the form, construction, and arrangement of the parts without departing from the spirit of the invention or sacrificing any of the advantages thereof, and the right is hereby reserved to make all such changes as fairly fall within the scope of the following claims.

What is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. An electric connecter comprising a soft flexible rubber-like casing, a socket in the casing and an annular metal member arranged in said casing forwardly of the forward end of the socket to prevent same from spreading, and a rubber gasket supported in the metal member.

2. An electric connecter comprising a soft flexible rubber-like casing, an annular metal member in said casing to prevent same from spreading, said member having a groove therein, and a rubber gasket arranged in the groove.

3. An electric connecter comprising a soft flexible rubber-like casing, an annular metal member arranged in said casing to prevent the same from spreading, said member having a groove therein, a rubber gasket arranged in the groove, a socket shell arranged inside of said casing, said rubber gasket being impinged between a light globe and the metal member when a lamp is screwed in said socket, thereby making a moisture and water-proof connection between the casing and the lamp.

4. An electric connecter comprising a soft flex ible rubber-like casing having an open end, an

annular metal member arranged in said casing at the open end to prevent the rubber-like material from spreading at the open end, and an annular rubber gasket removably supported in said metal member.

5. An electric connecter comprising a flexible rubber-like casing, a metal member imbedded in the casing, said member being greater than a semi-circle in cross section, and a flexible member carried by the metal member and adapted to be distorted when a lamp globe is screwed into position in the casing to provide a water-tight connection between the casing and the lamp.

6. An electric connecter comprising a soft flexible rubber casing, a screw threaded shell imbedded in said casing, said casing having its lower end formed with an inner annular groove, said groove being greater than a semi-circle in cross section, and a flexible rubber ring receivable in said groove and maintained therein by the expansible characteristics of the rubber ring, said rubber ring being squeezed between the body of the casing at the groove and a lamp when a lamp is screwed in position in the shell.

7. An electric connecter comprising a soft flexible rubber-like casing, an annular rigid member imbedded in the rubber casing and having a groove therein, and an annular fiexible gasket removably arranged in the groove.

8. An electric connecter comprising a soft flexible rubber casing, a screw threaded shell imbedded in said casing, said shell having an integrally formed extension below the threads thereof, said extension terminating in an annular groove, said groove being greater than a semicircle in cross section, and. having a resilient rubber ring therein, providing thereby a portion at the forward end of the connecter ofresilient rubber of smaller diameter than the screw threaded shell.

9. An electric connecter comprising a soft, flexible and resilient casing of insulating material, a screw threaded shell of conductive material embedded in said casing, said casing having its lower end formed with an inner annular groove of arcuate cross section and a ring of flexible, resilient material in said groove and resiliently retained therein, said resilient ring being squeezed between the body of the casing at the groove and a lamp base when a lamp is screwed in position in the shell.

DANIEL WOODHEAD. 

